The Future of Procurement

Episode 038: Field Notes – Insights from Procurement Leaders in the Consumer Products Industry at World Procurement Congress

Global VP of Research at SAP, Gordon Donovan sits down with procurement leaders from Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, and Heineken at the recent World Procurement Congress. Guest: Jacob Busk Nielsen – Chief Procurement Officer, Nestlé Guest: Janelle Aydin – Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Kraft Heinz Guest: Hervé Le Faou – Chief Procurement Officer, Heineken Special Host: Gordon Donovan – Global VP of Research, SAP – Procurement Are you curious what making chocolate, ketchup and ice-cold beer have in common? Well from an ingredient and production standpoint, probably not a whole lot… However, when it comes to building a resilient and strategic procurement function, there is actually quite a bit of similarity. In this special episode, Gordon Donovan sat down one-one with procurement leaders Jacob Busk Nielsen at Nestlé, Janelle Aydin from Kraft Heinz, and Hervé Le Faou of Heineken to learn how each of these companies approach the procurement office as a strategic function and how they are preparing for the next major transformative disruptor, Agentic AI. Despite the diverse product portfolios, geographies and corporate cultures among these major companies in the Consumer Products industry, one common thread all three leaders share is curiosity as a core procurement skill. This curiosity mindset helps these companies adapt to supply volatility and embrace emerging trends faster than their competition and keeps their businesses at the forefront of procurement innovation. These leaders have figured out how to turn disruption into a competitive advantage as opposed to a handicap. With AI offering the promise of immense potential but also the threat of extreme disruption, Jacob, Janelle and Hervé are tapping into their curiosity to make the right investments. They are leaning into their procurement teams to ask the hard questions, build resilient processes that capitalize on the strength of AI, and define their procurement strategy of the future that will keep them at the top of their industries for years to come. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Jacob: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-busk-nielsen-204620/ Follow Janelle: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-aydin-0816563/ Follow Hervé: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hervé-le-faou-9048642/ Follow Gordon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-donovan-6305b13/ Please like, share, and subscribe!Send feedback and questions to ⁠⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 037: Taking Procurement from Gatekeeper to Advisory with Mitch Myers

SAP Value and Solutions Advisor, Mitch Myers guides us through his process for matching business value with process improvement to defend the case for procurement transformation. Guest: Mitch Myers – Director, Solution and Value Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend What does a successful procurement transformation really look like? Is it just a matter of implementing the right technology and waiting for the savings to roll in? Is the loudest voice in the room always pointing you in the right direction? And when the implementation wraps up, are you really done? Our guest today, Mitch Myers, brings a rare combination of perspectives to the table. With over 25 years working with SAP and SAP Ariba solutions — spanning roles as a technology consultant, a management consultant at McKinsey, and Global Process Owner at Takeda Pharmaceuticals where he oversaw approximately $16 billion in annual transactions across SAP solutions — Mitch has seen procurement transformation from every angle. Now at SAP as a Director of Solution and Value Advisory, he shares the hard-won lessons he's carried from industry into advisory. Mitch challenges the common assumption that process improvement alone is enough to deliver transformation results. Instead, he advocates for evaluating every process change through the lens of business value and applying the 80/20 principle to focus on the improvements that actually move the needle. He cautions against the perfectionism trap where chasing every complaint or polishing every process to 100% means neglecting the next high-value opportunity. Better to time-box your priorities, lay out a clear roadmap, and accept that transformation is a continuous journey of iteration, not a project with a finish line. On building the business case, Mitch describes an outside-in to inside-out approach — walking customers through how the numbers are derived so they can refine the model until they own it. He also reinforces that successful transformation requires all three P's to be aligned: People, Process, and Platforms. Miss any one of them and the effort will stall, regardless of how capable the technology is. Sustained value comes from ongoing maturation, adoption, and what he simply calls keeping the plant watered. Finally, Mitch offers a compelling framework for where procurement is headed. Procurement has historically played the role of gatekeeper — the function that controls, constrains, and approves. The best organizations have elevated it to business partner, collaborating proactively with finance, R&D, and other functions. But the ultimate destination — made possible as AI absorbs more transactional and lower-level activities — is procurement as a true advisory function. One where stakeholders seek out procurement by choice, not obligation, because they know it will bring strategic value they can't get anywhere else. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Mitch: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myersmitch/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe!Send feedback and questions to ⁠⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 036: Field Notes – Insights from Procurement Leaders in Health and Life Sciences at World Procurement Congress

Global VP of Research at SAP, Gordon Donovan sits down with procurement leaders from NHS Supply Chain, Pfizer, and Moderna at the recent World Procurement Congress. Guest: Richard Evans – Executive Commercial Director of Supply Chain, NHS Supply Chain Guest: Sirsij Peshin – CPO & Global Source-to-Pay Lean, Pfizer Guest: Alan Rankin – Chief Procurement Officer, Moderna Special Host: Gordon Donovan – Global VP of Research, SAP – Procurement Ever wonder what the procurement leaders at some of the largest, most complex and influential companies in the health and life sciences industry are thinking about? What keeps them up at night? How do they respond to disruption? What are their top priorities and challenges today and where do they see procurement headed tomorrow? In this special episode, Gordon Donovan sat down one-one with procurement leaders Richard Evans at NHS Supply Chain in the United Kingdom, Sirsij Peshin of Pfizer, and Alan Rankin from Moderna to get valuable insights into how each of these companies currently approach procurement and supply chain and how they are preparing for the future. Despite drastic differences in the size and make-up of these companies, all three leaders shared similar viewpoints in putting the patient above cost savings. They also all shared the unique and innovative ways they each have overcome disruption and adversity to come out more resilient and how they’ve leaned into new technologies and processes to build resilience into the fabric of their procurement and supply chain operations. As AI becomes more prevalent, these leaders are actively asking the tough questions to reimagine the procurement function of the future. They understand the importance of Data, the enduring relevance of the human connection, and the hidden value of the risks that can be avoided with improved visibility and process resilience. Ultimately, it comes down to trust. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Richard: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-evans-bba6a64/ Follow Sirsij: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirsij/ Follow Alan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-rankin-a2733a6/ Follow Gordon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-donovan-6305b13/ Please like, share, and subscribe!Send feedback and questions to ⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 035: Procuring Securely in a Regulated Environment with Jeff Korol

Solution Manager for SAP NS2, Jeff Korol demystifies the processes and protocols of regulated industries and explains how security and compliance is critical to the future of procurement. Guest: Jeff Korol – Solution Manager, SAP NS2 (National Security Services) Host: Ryan Sammel – Director, Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend – Regulated Industries Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “Regulated Industry”? Do you first think about government? The military? Classified information? Top-level security clearance and background checks? Bureaucratic processes, rigorous data collection, and overly redundant compliance protocols? Our guest today, Jeff Korol, is part of a specialized and independent U.S. subsidiary of SAP called SAP NationalSecurity Services (aka SAP NS2). In this role, Jeff works across all customers and industries that require an extra layer of regulatory security and compliance standards to ensure all classified and confidential data is handled properly, and all Users that may had direct or indirect access are properly vetted, screened and validated to mitigate security risks in an environment where the stakes are high and the data is sensitive. Besides educating us on avariety of acronyms unique to the industry and explaining their importance in adhering to a set of compliance standards by which data, people and processes are categorized by, Jeff also enlightened us to the reality that many private sector companies that support regulated industries as a vendor must also adhere to these same regulatory standards to secure business in these industries. Further, as AI and other emerging technologies become more prevalent, Jeff predicts that more companies in the private sector will start to explore and adopt the rigorous securitystandards already in place in the regulatory environment. Similar to how NASA has pioneered many innovations that now exist in the market as commonplace, he sees the securityprotocols developed and delivered by SAP NS2 as becoming the standard by which companies stay ahead of the emerging cybersecurity threats and risks that can plague corporate security and their reputation. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow SAP NS2: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sapns2/ Follow Jeff: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-korol/ Follow Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-sammel/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe!Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 034: Winning the AI Race with Trust Over Speed with Seb Haupt

VP of Information Security, Sebastian Haupt explains the role IT and Information Security plays in the future of enterprise AI and how trust matters more than speed in driving meaningful value. Guest: Seb Haupt – Vice President, Information Security & IT Operations, Pager Health Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend What is your company’s current approach to AI? Is it move fast and break things? Is it slow and steady wins the race? Or is it to avoid at all costs? My guess is that depending on your role, you might have very different perspectives on what the best approach should be. Our guest today, Seb Haupt, helps us navigate the challenges companies are facing in the fast-paced and ever-changing landscape of AI tools, models and capabilities. As the VP of Information Security, he has a unique perspective on the role of trust and governance in the AI race. He explains the importance of regulated data access and security, well-defined business processes, and maintaining deep understanding of how the AI tools and models work as a foundation to realizing success. Surprisingly, Seb isn’t suggesting InfoSec or IT act as the gatekeeper or be a barrier to AI adoption but instead advocating for an open conversation with the business around goals, outcomes and a path to adoption. He believes that the role of IT and Information Security teams should be in figuring out how to get to “Yes” when it comes to implementing and adopting AI solutions, while also maintaining data integrity, access controls and system security. In this way, Seb sees himself and others in the IT/InfoSec space as enablers of AI technologies in the organization, ensuring that that the proper guardrails are in place to protect the company, while allowing the end Users enough control and flexibility to drive valuable outcomes. He also notes that the AI race is a marathon, not a sprint, and this level of trust will be crucial in determining which companies find success in their AI journey. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Pager Health: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pager-health/ Follow Seb: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianhaupt/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 033: How AI in the Classroom is Shaping the Future of Work with Anil Kumar

Professor of Business Analytics, Anil Kumar provides insights on how AI is being used in the classroom to shift how students are shaping the future of how work is done in the AI era. Guest: Anil Kumar – Professor of Business Analytics, Texas A&M University College of Business Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend What is your comfort level with AI? How deep have you gone down the AI rabbit hole of using the models, tools, and applications to create things to optimize your life? Are you an AI Native or are you an AI Immigrant? Our guest today, Anil Kumar, helps us understand the impact that AI is having on one of the most important areas of society…the classroom. A professor of Business Analytics at Texas A&M University, Anil explains that today’s students are among the first generations that have grown up with AI as part of their everyday lives and are well-positioned to use that to reshape how people and AI co-exist in the workplace of the future. One of the biggest surprises is that Anil does not shy away from students using AI in the classroom. In fact, he encourages it. His belief is that these are the tools and skills that will drive businesses going forward and that the ability to build things though “vibe coding” or other methodologies will be critical to helping solve some of the biggest challenges organizations face today. As an added bonus, students and young people are often curious about the world and offer a fresh perspective on how to solve problems. As the future of work evolves to adapt to this new AI-first mindset, fresh perspectives are exactly what will drive success and deliver AI with purpose. Anil suggests a collaboration between active students and business leaders could revolutionize how students prepare for the workforce while also providing these businesses with these fresh ideas for how to utilize AI in new ways. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Anil: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumaranil2025/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to ⁠⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 032: Factoring AI into Your Procurement Strategy with Jay Brand

Fellow SAP Solution Advisor, Jay Brand shares his unfiltered thoughts on the driving factors of procurement transformations and how AI should factor into the procurement strategy. Guest: Jay Brand – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Is the technology the ultimate driver of change in a procurement transformation? Can software magically fix poor processes, bad data, or unclear goals and KPIs? Does the transformation end when the new software goes live? Will AI be the solution for all these challenges? Our guest today, Jay Brand, has been on both sides of the aisle having gone through procurement transformation during his time at 3M in addition to helping customers navigate transformations today at SAP. Drawing on his experiences, Jay answers these questions and more, with his signature style and directness that his customers and colleagues love. Jay stresses the importance of a solid plan, strong leadership vision, and measurable KPIs in guiding the direction and success of any transformation program. He cautions against some of the typical roadblocks like analysis paralysis and designing to perfection and instead offers the mantra of “move fast and break things” as a way to fail fast and move on – figure out what works and adjust what doesn’t. Additionally, Jay uses a vivid analogy to explain that true transformation doesn’t end when the go-live party happens. Implementing the new software is just one step in a constant cycle of analysis, reflection, adjustment and adoption that continuously evolves as circumstances change in the organization. Finally, Jay discusses the role AI will play in all this and offers up a somewhat bold prediction that although AI will make things faster and more efficient, the role of the procurement professional and the processes of procurement will remain largely the same. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-brand-436901b/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to ⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 031: Being Intentional using a Bluefield Transformation Strategy with Curt Reppart

Associate Partner at IBM, Curt Reppart talks about a new, selective transformation approach that helps his customers find balance in new and existing technology, processes and data. Guest: Curt Reppart – Associate Partner, IBM Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend When taking on any major business transformation or technology upgrade in your organization, two major decisions always take center stage. 1) Where do we begin? 2) Will we go Brownfield (lift-and-shift our existing system) or Greenfield (start fresh with new standards)? Our guest today, Curt Reppart, has been helping companies navigate these questions for years and offers great perspective as an Associate Partner at IBM. Though it sometimes may make sense to do a Brownfield, lift-and-shift transformation or start completely fresh with a Greenfield implementation, often these options carry significant trade-offs such as carrying forward technical debt and poor processes or create massive disruptions to the business. At IBM, Curt often suggests a third path to his customers and that is the Bluefield Implementation strategy, where customers use a selective approach that drives deliberate decisions about which configurations, processes and data to keep, redesign, or retire and where to adopt a more fit-to-standard approach. Further, Curt makes a compelling case for Procurement being the ideal entry point for this transformation journey as it is often a highly disconnected, fragmented and over-customized area of the business in a space where collaboration extending beyond the four walls of the organization requires a certain level of standardization and conformity to succeed. This makes procurement the perfect catalyst for being intentional about what to keep and what to simplify. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow IBM: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ibm/ Follow Curt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtreppart/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 030: Next-level Business Transformation with Tony Gainsford

Business Transformation Leader Tony Gainsford joins us to explain how he used Supplier Collaboration, Process Mining and Automation Tolerances to drive successful procurement transformation at Molex. Guest: Tony Gainsford – Business Transformation Leader, Molex Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory,SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Oftentimes people think of a business transformation or a procurement transformation as simply a technology project. That the best way to transform and improve the way the business runs is to just find newer software, with fancier bells and whistles, and that alone will solve all the issues, improve all the KPIs, and drive value for the organization. And if that still doesn’t deliver the expected ROI, the expected results? What next? Our guest today is Tony Gainsford, Business Transformation Leader at Molex. Tony has spent decades running successful transformation programs at Molex and knows first-hand what it takes to avoid common transformation pitfalls and achieve desired outcomes. In fact, Tony led an effort to digitize collaboration with all their Suppliers across the entire order-to-pay process through the SAP Business Network and strengthened the relationship with his Suppliers in the process. Tony highlighted just how important it is to have a solid vision before beginning a transformation project and the need to be flexible along the way as new information is uncovered. He reflected on the benefits of using process mining and data mining tools to identify the gaps, bottlenecks and workarounds and how changes to the configurations, tolerances, rules and processes can turn issues into competitive advantages. The biggest revelation is that even in this age of AI, automation and digitization, the human relationship is still a vital component of the transformation process. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ FollowSAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ FollowMolex: https://www.linkedin.com/company/molex/ Follow Tony: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-gainsford-03764b10/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 029: Diving Deep into AI in Procurement with Ryan Skorupski

SAP AI expert Ryan Skorupski takes us deep into the world of all things AI in procurement shining a light on what it is, what it can do, and what the potential implications are for the future. Guest: Ryan Skorupski – Senior Director of AI/ML, SAP Spend Management Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard that AI is here and it’s the next big thing for businesses. It will automate tasks, provide incredible insights into our data, streamline operations, cut costs, and improve revenue. Companies are pouring billions of dollars to create AI models, build data centers and infuse AI into every part of their processes. But what exactly is AI? Where are we today on the AI maturity curve? What’s possible right now and what could be possible tomorrow? Our guest today is Ryan Skorupski, a Senior Director of AI and ML for Spend Management solutions at SAP. With a background in finance, mathematics, data science and machine learning, Ryan brings a unique and knowledgeable perspective to the table. Today, he’s on the front lines for building the AI foundational model at SAP and applying it to the full suite of procurement applications and processes. Ryan takes us back through the history of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) and how they are being used and applied in the business world. He emphasizes the importance of data in training the models and grounding the models to provide not just procurement-specific AI, but ultimately AI that’s fine-tuned to your specific company needs. Ryan also cautions that there is still much we don’t understand about how AI works and how to best utilize AI within the business, so it is imperative that everyone from IT to the business becomes trained on the capabilities of AI, the limitations of AI, and how best to infuse AI into our operations. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. ===== Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-skorupski/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to ⁠⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 028: Discovering the Secrets of Category Management with Andy Moe

SAP Solution Advisor, Andy Moe reflects on his past experiences in Category Management to share the secrets of great category managers and why having a category strategy is crucial in today’s turbulent economy. Guest: Andy Moe – Director, Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Spend Management ===== Procurement at large corporations with massive amounts of spend across a variety of categories is not easy. Especially in these highly unpredictable socio-economic times where disruption seems to be the rule rather than the exception. What was once simply a function of finding the best prices, procurement is now tasked with balancing price, quality, availability, and delivery times while mitigating risk, maintaining good supplier relationships, favorable payment terms, sustainability regulations, and much more. So how does procurement take on this herculean task? Enter the category manager… Our guest today is Midwest Director of Solution Advisory at SAP Ariba, Andy Moe. Andy draws on his background in Category Management at a large manufacturing company to explain why having a strategy for category spend is vital to handing market uncertainty and maintaining stability in the supply chain. Andy uses the concept of a physical binder, a relic from his past life, as a prop to explain all the critical facets of a good category manager – how to use data to create an action plan to maximize the effectiveness of each category of spend and ultimately defend these decisions to key stakeholders in the organization. As technology evolves and the job of a category manager becomes increasingly more complex, these activities have moved away from the analog, physical binder and toward digital solutions that combine data and insights with strategic procurement tools. This allows the best category managers to respond to disruption in real-time and in the best possible way for their company. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. ===== SAP Procurement Webinar Series: ⁠https://events.sap.com/noam-discovery-your-grow-journey-procurement/en_us/home.html⁠ Follow SAP: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/⁠ Follow SAP Ariba: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/⁠ Follow Andy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-moe-2bb4191/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/⁠ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/⁠ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/⁠ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to ⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 027: Aligning Procurement and Supply Chain Operations with Matt Donegan

SAP Solution Advisor, Matt Donegan draws from his past experiences in Supply Chain Operations to spotlight the conflicting priorities of Procurement and Supply Chain and how to balance them successfully. Guest: Matt Donegan – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Spend Management Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Spend Management ===== For companies that manufacture things, the supply chain is the lifeblood of the organization. Production lines must run with maximum efficiency to deliver high-quality products to their customers on-time and at a competitive cost. This means that the materials necessary for the final product must be procured from suppliers that can be trusted to consistently deliver with quality and speed to keep the production lines running. Procurement departments are often working off a different priority list, where low costs, low risks, better payment terms and more favorable contractual obligations are the main focus areas. So, how do we align the priorities of procurement with the needs of supply chain operations? Our guest today is fellow SAP Ariba Solution Advisor, Matt Donegan. Matt combines his background and education in Supply Chain Operations with his current role in advising customers in Procurement solutions to uncover the conflicting priorities that can create friction and risk in many manufacturing organizations. Having worked on both sides of the aisle, Matt brings a unique perspective on the tricky balancing act of managing cost, quality and timeliness across the supply chain that combines technology, collaboration and a human element that fosters good relationships and trust with your customers, your stakeholders and your suppliers. As technological, economic, political and environmental disruptions continue to strain global supply chains, having the right tools, processes and culture to weather the storm will be crucial for survival and will separate tomorrow’s successful companies from yesterday’s afterthoughts. What story will you write for the future of your company? So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. ===== SAP Procurement Webinar Series: https://events.sap.com/noam-discovery-your-grow-journey-procurement/en_us/home.html Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-donegan-cpim-003b1252/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 026: The Future of Data in Procurement with Stacy Yoeckel

Stacy Yoeckel, Founder of Modern Data Compass, joins us to talk about the complexity of data in a modern procurement organization and the importance of a good data strategy for our new AI-focused world. Guest: Stacy Yoeckel – Founder and Chief Data & AI Strategist, Modern Data Compass Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend ===== Data has always been the lifeblood of an organization, and the stakes have never been as high as they are now with generative AI technologies rapidly storming onto the scene to consume massive amounts of your data with the goal of producing intelligent insights to propel your company to new heights. Unfortunately, without clean data and proper context, AI will only take you so far… So, what’s the secret to getting the most out of your data to fuel this AI renaissance? Our guest today is Stacy Yoeckel, founder and chief data and AI strategist at Modern Data Compass. Stacy helped us understand the differences between Data Analysts, Data Engineers, and Data Scientists and how all three play a vital role in gathering, modeling, and transforming data to be useable and useful to the rest of the organization. Stacy has spent decades obsessed with data, focused primarily on procurement analytics for several companies across a variety of industries. This experience combined with her passion for looking at data and finding patterns, led to the launch of Modern Data Compass, where Stacy advises companies on their strategies and readiness roadmap for getting the most out of data, analytics and AI. With the rise of generative AI and an exponentially growing volume of structured and unstructured data, having a strategy for clean, semantically contextual data in no longer a “nice to have” …it is non-negotiable. The question is, will you take control of your data before it (or the AI using it) takes control of your organization? So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. ===== Follow SAP: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/⁠ Follow SAP Ariba: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/⁠ Check out Modern Data Compass: https://www.moderndatacompass.com Follow Stacy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-y-98a212102/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/⁠ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/⁠ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/⁠ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to ⁠TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 25 - Trusting the Data About Your Suppliers with Sean Sollitto

Sean Sollitto, Co-Founder of Relish, joins us to talk about the importance of trusting Supplier data from bank account validity to sanctions screenings and how technology can reduce risks in the process. Guest: Sean Sollitto – Co-Founder and VP of Business Development, Relish Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend ===== Risks are lurking around every corner in the enterprise procurement space and nowhere is that more prevalent than when it comes to managing and trusting supplier data. Paying fraudulent bank accounts… Working with sanctioned suppliers… Paying incorrect tariffs… Not knowing these things can result in big fines and major problems for an organization. So, what’s a procurement department supposed to do? Our guest today might just have the solution. Sean Sollitto, co-founder and VP of Business Development at Relish, sat down with us to discuss how they’ve developed an AI-driven solution to address this very issue. Relish Data Assure automates the Supplier information process at every step of the Supplier Lifecycle journey. This means not just once during supplier onboarding, but repeatedly, to ensure you can feel confident in who you’re doing business with. Prior to co-founding the enterprise application firm, Relish, Sean spent years focused on eCommerce and Procurement across operations, architecture and consulting, which has given him a unique ability to understand technological and operational context to identify solutions and drive valuable outcomes. As the technological landscape gets increasingly more complex and procurement gets tasked with managing an ever-growing amount of data, assurance of data integrity will not just be a nice-to-have, but a priority. Ensure your company has a strategy to gain trust in their supplier data and know exactly who they’re doing business with and who they’re paying. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. ===== Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Relish: https://www.linkedin.com/company/relishiq/ Follow Sean: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-sollitto-a51aa1/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 24: Bridging the Gap in Maintenance and Procurement with Aaron Horn

Guest: Aaron Horn – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend What happens with the priorities of maintenance engineers in asset intensive industries don’t align with the polices and compliance goals of procurement? Friction…barriers…transformation roadblocks to name a few. Our guest today would even go so far as to say he “hated” the procurement processes he was asked to follow. But what if there was a better way for these teams to collaborate? Although he’s a Solution Advisor at SAP today, helping customers drive procurement excellence, in a prior life our guest Aaron Horn worked as a Maintenance Reliability Engineer in the Oil Refining industry. Aaron draws on this background to give a unique perspective on the challenges of managing the conflicting priorities of maintenance managers and procurement teams and the importance of collaboration and feedback in bridging the gap. As more companies look to technology to enable business and procurement transformation initiatives, Aaron emphasizes the importance of maintenance professionals being involved in procurement decisions and conversations to better align priorities and embrace continuous improvement to adapt to changing business needs. The surprising conclusion – fostering empathy might be just as important as the underlying technology and AI. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Aaron: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arhorn/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to: TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 23: From Tactical to Strategic with Mike Jasper

Guest: Mike Jasper – Director of Transformation Product & Client Success, Extropy Advisors Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend One of the most common misconceptions of major procurement transformation projects where new technologies are implemented to drive automation and efficiency across the source-to-pay cycle is that a headcount reduction is inevitable. If a company can process more transactions faster and with fewer Users, then some people will lose their jobs. But what if that isn’t the best way to maximize value from these investments? Our guest today is Mike Jasper, Director of Transformation Product & Client Success for Extropy Advisors. Having spent over two decades leading organizations through complex change, Mike brings a forward-thinking approach and commitment to align businesses at every level in embracing digital transformation and driving a strategic vision for the future. Mike reflects on these experiences to showcase how best run companies look at digital transformations as an opportunity to drive value by shifting resources from manual, tactical activities towards more strategic initiatives. He specifically focuses on the area of Accounts Payable and describes how automating the invoice process (ingestion, coding, matching, exception routing, etc.) can free up AP resources to focus on more complex and value-add priorities such as tax optimization, tariff impacts, DPO terms extension and early payment discount opportunities. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Extropy Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getextropy/ Follow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljasper/ Follow Erik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to: TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 022: Unlocking Value Through Business Accelerators with Klaus Fischer

Guest: Klaus Fischer – Board Advisor, Nitor Partners and ConvergentIS Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Is your organization still operating in silos? In the lack of transparency and collaboration between the offices of the CFO and CPO preventing the business from achieving the types of value outcomes that executives and shareholders expect? What roles can technology, data and AI play in driving impactful business transformations? Our guest today is Klaus Fischer, a former long-time leader at SAP and current board advisor for two valued SAP partners – ConvergentIS and Nitor Partners. Klaus has been an avid and passionate champion for helping customers transform and achieve positive business results in procurement, supply chain and finance. Having joined SAP 35 years ago in Waldorf, Germany near his hometown, Klaus has filled many roles from Engineering to Consulting, Solution Advisory to Strategic Sales and most recently as the Head of North American Center of Excellence helping customers drive real value outcomes across all SAP solutions. Klaus even played a significant role in SAP’s decision to acquire Ariba in 2012 and combine SAP ERP with the Ariba Network and Ariba’s strong cloud-based source-to-pay capabilities. Today, Klaus continues to be an advocate for helping companies drive impactful business outcomes as a growth and board advisor to two excellent SAP partners that specialize in the finance and procurement solutions at SAP. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Nitor Partners: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nitor-partners/ Follow ConvergentIS: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergentis/ Follow Klaus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klaus-fischer-a970a26/ Follow Erik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to: TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 021: Procurement Year in Review and Welcome to a New Co-Host

Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Strategic Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Host: Sarah Nelson – Senior Solution Advisory, SAP Finance & Spend Justin and Erik celebrate the one-year milestone of The Future of Procurement by reflecting on the first 20 episodes. Looking back on the growth and learning, some of their favorite and most memorable guests, and recalling some of the interesting things they learned along the way. Not to be forgotten, they also show special love to the Flex and the City segment that ran several times throughout the year with a unique focus on services procurement and the flexible workforce. Next, Erik and Justin welcome a new voice to the podcast, Sarah Nelson, a fellow Finance & Spend Solution consultant. Sarah joins the podcast for year two as a third co-host who brings a fresh voice, great new ideas and a desire to keep the podcast fun and accessible to all listeners. Sarah shares her procurement origin story with us, gives us a sneak peek at some of the fresh ideas she’s bringing to the podcast, and dives in headfirst with her perspective on what the future of procurement will look like…and it’s not the obvious answer. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Show notes: Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Blackline: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackline/ Follow Erik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Follow Justin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Sarah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swnelson12/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

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Episode 020: Bringing Finance and Procurement Together with Blackline

Guest: Stuart Van Houten – Chief Commercial Officer, Blackline Guest: Riyaz Samnani – SVP of Presales & Value Engineering, Blackline Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Have you ever noticed that the functions of procurement and finance are often siloed and disjointed at companies? That often their goals and initiatives are not always in sync with each other, and that time-consuming, manual processes are required to reconcile spend and finance data at the end of the month, quarter, or year? As procurement and finance are evolving to become more strategic, how can technology help break down these silos? Our guests today are Stuart Van Houten, Chief Commercial Officer of Blackline, and Riyaz Samnani, SVP of Presales & Value Engineering at Blackline. Stuart is passionate about driving sustainable growth and long-term success and brings over 30 years of experience leading high-growth technology organizations, most recently having led North American sales and business development initiatives at SAP. Riyaz, brings his enthusiasm for building best run solution demonstrations and value-based business cases to his customers with over a decade leading procurement and finance teams at SAP, Coupa and Basware prior to joining Blackline. An SAP Partner and a leading AI-enabled financial operations engine, Blackline helps customers accelerate their record-to-report and invoice-to-cash activities which eliminates delays, strengthens controls, and delivers trusted data throughout the organization. Stuart and Riyaz bring their procurement acumen to their new roles at Blackline to uncover how smart businesses are joining their financial operations and data with procurement data and initiatives to drive the next generation of technological transformation…with AI and data and the center. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Justin Morse, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Show notes: Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Blackline: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackline/ Follow Stuart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartvanhouten/ Follow Riyaz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samnani/ Follow Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com

Episode 019: Preventing Vendor Payment Fraud with Trustpair

Guest: Baptiste Collot – CEO and co-Founder, Trustpair Host: Justin Morse – Vice President, Solution Advisory, SAP Americas, Finance & Spend Host: Erik Derenne – Director, Center of Excellence, SAP North America, Finance & Spend If you’ve ever fallen victim to payment fraud in your personal life life, you know that it can be expensive, time-consuming and leaves you feeling very vulnerable. Unfortunately, fraud is not simply limited to the consumer. It also impacts thousands of companies each year to the tune of millions of dollars in losses. So, what can be done to protect your business and prevent fraudulent activity? Our guest today is Baptiste Collot, CEO and co-Founder of Trustpair, a best-in-class fraud prevention platform. Baptiste began his career working in the treasury department of a multinational company, when he had an epiphany about why they were losing money on vendor payments. All signs pointed to the data journey from vendor onboarding across the entire procure-to-pay chain and through various systems in finance, AP and procurement. Enter Trustpair, a platform that uses technology to help companies better trust their data by securing the entire procure-to-pay process. Baptiste explains the evolution of fraud in the vendor payment space, why it is such a growing concern, and how solutions from companies like Trustpair and SAP can help prevent fraud at the ultimate source…the data. So, let’s dive in, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I am your host Erik Derenne, and you’re listening to The Future of Procurement Podcast. Show notes: Follow SAP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sap/ Follow SAP Ariba: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/ Follow Baptiste: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcollot/ Follow Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmorse/ Follow Erik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-derenne/ Please like, share, and subscribe! Send feedback and questions to TheFutureOfProcurement@sap.com